


Dead End Road

by MonikaFileFan



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Drama & Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Flash Forward, Flashbacks, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, MSR, Mulder and Scully On The Run, Oaths & Vows, Outdoor Sex, Past Tense, Post MSIV, Post Season 9, Post-Season/Series 11, Pre IWTB, References to Depression, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-10-18
Packaged: 2019-07-13 19:52:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16024823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonikaFileFan/pseuds/MonikaFileFan
Summary: It’s 2004 and since leaving their old lives behind to start a new one, Mulder and Scully have found happiness together. But as new yet familiar darkness threatens their life surrounding Williams birthday, they come across an event that may solidify their relationship.Timeline: Takes place post The Truth and pre IWTB. Also, time jumps to post series.





	1. On a day like today...

**Author's Note:**

> This is a new venture for me to take with Mulder and Scully living the lives of fugitives and carrying a heavy load. 
> 
> Please feel free to give any feedback you’re able. I really take account for what you might say for the rest of the chapters.

**References** : From Sixth Extinction Amor Fati, Existence, Provenance, Providence, William, Nothing Important Happened Today, The Truth, My Struggle 1, My Struggle IV.

 

**Dead End Road**

 

_“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.”_

_\- Edward Abbey_

_(2004)_  

Scully had her head resting along the cool glass of the passenger side window, trying to relieve the flush of heat on her skin. The warmer temperature had only added to her emotional discomfort at the moment while she silently cursed Mulder for choosing Florida. She’d already vowed to never set foot in the state again after that Hurricane case she was cornered into, yet it was a general rule that the map elected where they ventured.

Sighing in defeat, she could no longer hold in the answer to Mulder’s question from earlier that morning that had been ruminating in her head for any longer.

He had been waiting patiently—in his own Mulder way—for her to respond to his question, but a mass amount of patience was just one attribute they both had learned to master while running from their former lives.

“I need something to hold onto, something stationary. We drive; we eat; we fuck; and we sleep. There’s consistency, Mulder, but where’s the permanency?” she said, her words cracking the shell of silence in the car.

Mulder swung his head over to her side, eyeing her with surprise laced in irritation at her bluntness. His thoughts had mirrored hers exactly on more than one occasion. Yet, he’d never thought she would out right say them with such an air of ease, as if she were discussing the weather while laying naked in his arms. But he _had_ asked, and she had answered.

He just grunted while pressing on the gas pedal, trying to decide how to comment as he turned back to stare down the road. The seemingly never ending road that could perpetually turn into a dead end for him; for them both if they continued on the road of self-destruction. They don’t turn down this road willingly, yet they still find themselves bumping along, down it’s winding, crooked trail. But only on a day like today, because today is William’s birthday. The day that’s now marred with darkness, disorder, and depression for he and Scully.

Reaching for a handful of sunflower seeds as he eyed the passing neighborhoods surrounded with white picket fences and children’s laugher, Mulder decided that they really needed to find a new road to turn down. One that gave the new life they shared more meaning and sustenance than running for their lives and hiding in shadows, finally getting the hell out of the car.

\----------

_Three hours earlier..._

She had been locked in the bathroom quietly crying her heart out for an hour now. She clutched the threadbare hand towel that reeked of bleach in her hands until her knuckles turned white. Images of sweet rounded cheeks and big bright blue eyes were invading her mind, mocking her with memories of what she’d given away. Reminders of what she’d torn from herself and Mulder were serving her a good dose of pain and suffering today.

She had rolled out of bed early this morning just in time to catch sight of Mulder shutting the hotel room door behind him. She stood by the bed to listen to his footfalls pound the pavement before she made her way to the bathroom, her tears already threatening to fall. She’d locked the door behind her and had the presence of mind to grab a hand towel off the rack before slowly sinking to the cold tile floor to let herself silently sob.

Her muscles ached from trembling but her internal ache within her heart was a hundred times worse. Taking deep breaths in order to find a semblance of control before Mulder returned from his run, she closed her eyes and searched for a memory that would bring her peace of mind about her decision.

She had given up their son. The son they had gone through multiple rounds of IVF to try and conceive, the son she prayed for and loved before he even existed. She made the ultimate sacrifice for his own safety. She knew that deep down she was right to do so, yet today, it was impossible to feel anything but hurt and regret. Searching within for something she could hold onto to bring herself out of the darkness, an image flashed before her eyes.

Suddenly she was in her old apartment again, watching her Mother being tossed on the floor like a rag doll.

_She felt the weight of her gun in her hand, gripping the cool steel while squeezing the trigger. She shot the man bent over her sons crib as he held a pillow over her baby’s face. She’d kicked in the door after being thrown out of the room onto her knees and fearing the worst, watching it all again in slow motion. Blood spattering along the walls and splashing upon Williams smooth, innocent face. The wailing cries from his tiny flailing body echoed around her, joining her mother's worried voice from the hallway._

_The wet gurgling sounds coming from her son’s would be assassin laid prone across the nursery rug as he spit out the blood pooling in the back of his throat, made her blanch at the depravity of it all. The sonofabitch was whimpering as she screamed questions into his face with his blood seeping into the knees of her pants like lava. He was slowly bleeding to death on the same rug where she’d paced the floor late at night as she soothed William and told him stories of his father. And in that moment she’d realized, she didn’t give a fuck whether he choked to death on his blood, or bled out at her feet._

She relived the overwhelming fear, anger, and satisfaction of inflicting the man’s pain again which made her heart pound in her chest and bile rise in the back of her throat. She bit down on her lip hard while she tried to push it away, only to be hit with another sickening memory.

_Scully was in the hospital looming over the man and threatening to smother him like he had intended to do to her son. She could feel his larynx and his pounding pulse thumping beneath her hand as she squeezed his neck, just barely holding back the urge to end him. The feeling of excitement and adrenaline pumping through her veins in that moment frightened her. It felt so good holding his life in her hands just as he held her sons in his. She was so close to pressing down and crushing his windpipe between her fingers, and the pleasure she’d felt in that moment, frightened her. She wanted him dead, but she also wanted answers. She wanted the truth._

She winced from the loud knocking that echoed in the bathroom. Scully found herself feeling even more defeated and immediately nauseated along with it. Mulder knocked more persistently this time as he murmured her name questioningly through cracks. She took a deep breath and realized she was still crying. Between her tears, she schooled her voice and answered back, “I’m fine, Mulder. I’m just—” she couldn’t even finish so she stifled her gasp and continued pouring out her pain in the now damp towel.

As he listened carefully on the other side of the door, Mulder leaned his body against it while he held his balled up fist tightly to his lips, choking on his own whimper. For the most part, he could handle his own grief. Hell he’d been doing it most of his life, but hearing Scully break down just feet away from him was the worst kind of torture. He recognized the pattern of coping with loss when it came to his Scully, yet it never got any easier to handle for either of them. Her father, Melissa, and Emily had flickered through his mind. He had far too many points of reference in the grieving department to look back at in regards to her emotional pain tolerance.  

Yet little did she know, Mulder had done that very same thing just an hour earlier while out on his morning run. He ran himself ragged trying to loosen the knot of sorrow in his chest and rid the sour ache in his gut. After running his first two miles, he’d lost control and started hyperventilating as he stumbled over to the nearest tree to empty the contents of his stomach while he retched and sobbed as cars flew past. Neither physical ailment had anything to do with excess exertion.

Mulder felt completely helpless to take away her pain and depression, especially when he couldn’t even help himself with his own. He felt both heartbroken and numb at the same time. He just couldn’t embrace his feelings when they came, so in turn, he pushed them away and allowed them to fester. He was so damn confused, so full of emotion, yet so scared to let them all out in front of her, afraid his darkness would swallow them whole. He’d known even with his own inner battle of good and evil, she came first.

After all, he was her constant and she was his touchstone.

The door then clicked and swung open with his teary-eyed and defeated looking Scully then falling into his wide open arms as the vast amount of keening continued to roll out of her tiny body. Mulder pulled her in tightly and gently trailed his hands across the back of her ribs. Scully instantly sighed in relief of his comfort and wrapped her arms around his waist, squeezing him as close to her as she could while trying to ease both their struggles.

Mulder knew he didn’t need to say words to comfort her, yet he swallowed his own heartache long enough to press his lips against her ear to whisper, “oh, baby let it out. I’m right here. I’m here, Scully.”

Minutes later, she finally nodded her head as her sobs began to lessen to trickling tears. Mulder bent down and turned his face into her cheek to kiss the remaining droplets away, breathing in the her soothing familiar scent.  

“I’m so sorry, Mulder,” she breathed out, barely audible and feeling completely out of control and vulnerable. Feelings Dana Scully had never been okay with expressing around anyone except Mulder, yet even Mulder had rarely seen her break down.  

If this wasn’t something she had said every year on this day to him, he might not have known what she had uttered through her whispers. His strong rock solid other half was hurting and it was killing him. All he could do was hum deeply and tuck her head up under his chin to let her feel his heart beating only for her, always her.

“You know you don’t have a thing to be sorry for. You’re so strong. So much stronger than I am, Scully,” he said vehemently. “You saved our son, you saved his life and my own. Don’t you dare apologize for that,” he was forceful in his attempt to make her see the justification of her actions as his hands soothed up and down the slight curves of her back, trying to give reassurance.

She said nothing—only squeezed her arms around him tighter as she buried her face up into the curve of his sweat slicked neck. While he swallowed his own grief, he put her before himself and asked, “what do you need, Scully? Tell me what you need, anything you need and it’s done, okay?” She only swiped at her face and nodded her acknowledgment into his chest, pressing her lips into his sternum while no more words were said from either of them.

Time slipped away as they stayed entangled in each other’s arms. He in a sweat soaked t-shirt and shorts, and her wearing only his shirt he’d tossed on the floor the night before during shared passionate coupling, comforting one another until their eyes ran dry.  

\----------


	2. Feel in order to heal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulder and Scully continue to navigate through the pain. They find a way to open up and heal some of their emotional darkness, but is it a bandaid or will it open up an opportunity for them.

_“But pain's like water. It finds a way to push through any seal. There's no way to stop it. Sometimes you have to let yourself sink inside of it before you can learn how to swim to the surface.” ―_ _Katie Kacvinsky_

  
\----------

They had been on the road for a few hours now with little conversation between them. Everything that needed to be said had been at the time in the motel, and everything that wasn’t, was surely being thought about. After shedding their tears and consoling one another for a long time, they had pulled themselves together long enough to shower and get on the road again. It was their fourth night spent in that little motel and since the beginning of _life-on-the-run_ , they had never stayed in one place for longer than that.

Scully stared out the window without really looking at anything specific, and Mulder chomped on seeds while he stewed in his own mental juices after hearing her response to his question.

As he tapped his fingers along the steering wheel, he wondered when or if either of them could ever find any sense of fulfillment on a day like today. Two and a half years of being on the run had actually served them well. No more unrelenting cases to obsess over, no more time spent stressing and sifting through the lies to find the truth. No more sleepless nights filled with wondering if the other is safe in their own bed miles away, protected from mutants, psychic killers or reincarnates of evil. Now, they were together in every respect, but together as a family of three with one missing.

They were still Mulder and Scully. Just a Mulder and Scully with nowhere to be but with each other. The same Mulder and Scully that took the good with the bad and were still in love. He smirked to himself as he realized the meaning of his musings. For better or worse, since 1992.

Scully turned to look at Mulder’s distinguished profile while he chewed on a mouthful of sunflower seeds, lost in his thoughts. She squirmed in her seat and fidgeted with her hands in her lap, trying to ascertain how Mulder had received her reply to his question. She knew her anger and inner turmoil really had nothing to do with Mulder. She stared at her restless hands as the small part of her soul that she’d tucked her raw emotions attached to their son into, stirred down deep inside her making her sick to her stomach for the second time.

On this day in the past, today, and every day that marked their son’s day of birth in the foreseeable future, will set the limit on exactly how much anguish she can withstand before it devours her from the inside out.

She pressed her lips together in a tight line to hold back a groan when a sudden memory of her mother’s words came to mind. They were said just two months before she had rocked William to sleep in his nursery for the very last time.

_“You should trust in the Lord for protection, Dana,” her Mother explained, pressing a kiss to Williams forehead._

_She had turned her face away from them, shaking it while swiping at her tear stained cheeks and said, “Mom, my son will be protected! I’ll make it so. No matter what. Even if it kills me.”_

And it _was_ killing her, killing them both by slowly eating her and Mulder alive.

She clenched her teeth in frustration. Her torment boiled up through her chest, burning the chunk of her heart that belonged to solely William. She only blamed herself for forcing Mulder to leave them and hide himself away to suffer alone. She only blamed herself for not being home with her baby more, to spend every waking moment touching his sweet, soft skin. She only blamed herself for not being able to keep their son safe. And she only blamed herself for not begging Mulder to come home to save them both from making a soul crushing decision; she’d hidden that from him which only added to her guilt.

Currently, she’d added culpability for inflicting more pain onto Mulder to her list of reasons to feel self-degradation. She felt guilty for feeling happiness with the man she loved more than anything when she had not one fucking clue whether their own son was happy, too.

And on any other day, she truly _was_ happy. But on _this_ day, she was anything but.

Scully had finally just shut her eyes, head still leaning against the cool window during her inner monologue torture session, but popped them open when Mulder suddenly pulled the car onto the side of the road and had finally spoken, “get out of the car.”

“What?” she turned toward him, confused and staring at his still forward facing profile.

Mulder had spent the last few minutes putting his psychology degree to good use and knew what she needed, what he needed to do with her, together. Even if it was on the side of a dirt road surrounded by nothing but a rusted playground right next to a barely standing _Dead End_ road sign. Oh it was a sign alright, and he was going to tell it, and the irony of it all to fuck off; literally.

Turning his eyes to lock onto her, he planned to repeat himself in a way that would not go unnoticed to Scully. He opened his door and spat out the leftover seed shells and repeated in a gritty voice, “get out of the car, Scully.” He felt his eyes narrow in on that goddamn pink tongue that poked out of the side of her mouth, making the edge glisten.

She knew that tone. Her body perked up instantly from one set of lips to the other, recognizing the seductive baritone of the man who sent shocks of pleasure through it every time he used it. She obeyed willingly as she felt herself flush with excitement, her arousal trickled in slowly as she climbed out of the car.

Scully protested briefly with her eyes as she searched the location in which she were about to be ravaged, but she knew she would need no actual coaxing from Mulder to welcome him back inside her body and soul. The place where she needed him most at the moment.

“You’re right, Scully, we do all those things that you listed so honestly. I wanted more for you and more for our life,” he said, swallowing down a lump that formed in his throat as he stepped closer. “I begged you to stay in DC and let me weather the shitstorm instead of you living on the run as a fugitive, yet here we are, together.” Walking around the the hood, he reached out to her waist as she met him halfway.

Scully narrowed her eyes at him for his comment about leaving her behind, pissed off that he was bringing it up again but she understood his protest. But there was no way in hell was she going to let him out of her sight ever again.

She would rather die a slow and painful death—much like her cancer—than go through being separated from him while his life was on the line, wondering if he was alive or dead and he knew it!

Mulder brushed her now wind blown hair away from Scully’s face to cover her mouth with his, kissing her firmly and cutting off any complaint she might’ve had.

After pulling away reluctantly, he needed to reply to her earlier answer. “We do drive, but we take turns. We do eat, but we dine together. We do fuck, but we fuck _and_ make amazing love coming together as one. We do sleep, but we sleep in the same bed with our bodies wrapped around one another.”

He felt her fingers tighten around his bicep and watched her as she bit her lip and fluttered her lashes. Mulder reached up and placed his thumb and forefinger around her chin so she couldn’t hide her eyes. “Every day were together, I understand the fact that we never get out of the damn car and never end up on a road that’s free of dead ends and dark shadows, but I _am_ happy, Scully,” he choked out, fighting off tears. “I’m happy just being with you; having my other half walk through life right along with me!” He said it adamantly, but it came out as a whisper while she pulled his forehead to meet hers.

“Oh, I feel the same way. Really, it’s just…I need to feel _good_ today, Mulder,” she admitted, breathless as his mouth inched closer to her jaw.

“Jesus, me too, Scully! Me too,” he mumbled into the skin of her neck, making her breath catch. He skimmed his teeth along the artery above her collar bone, making her moan.

This wouldn't be an attentive sensual act of love, not this time. They needed to feel physical pleasure to dull the emotional pain. And as his hands smoothed up her thighs and caught the lusty need in her gaze, he knew this would be an aggressive fuck that they both demanded.

She groaned out, “make me feel something better. Make us both feel better, Mulder.”

The honesty and truth in her words broke open what was remaining of the exterior veneer guarding their hearts and the last of their control seeped out.

Mulder took a step back and realized that they were both suddenly crying silently; again. Their emotions battling with the intense need of release. Having the knowledge that he was helpless to fight back against it, he let his tears come so his body could as well.  

Aching for him in more ways than one, Scully pulled up his shirt and ran her hands all over his chest and down to loosen the button of his jeans. Mulder quickly reached down to her thighs and grabbed fist fulls of her thin flowing cotton sundress, bunching it up above her hips. He ignored his t-shirt and her button down camisole which only added to the haste to fulfill one anothers need for pleasure. As she unzipped his fly and pushed down his pants and boxers for them to fall to his ankles, he hooked his fingers into her panties and swiftly yanked them down and off of her creamy pale legs, tossing them on the hood.

Anticipation was thrumming through them like an electric current, and they welcomed it and each other with open arms.

Their mouths collided in a rush to connect along with their tongues, as they licked salty tears off of one anothers lips, soothing each others hurt. Scully whimpered softly into his mouth while she wrapped her arms around his shoulders in order to brace herself for the familiar breadth of pleasure about to pound into her lithe body.

Mulder’s breathing grew rapid along with his heart rate as he ground his hips up into hers, pressing her against the car. Pulling his chest into hers, she bounced her toes off of the gravely dirt road and kicked her sandals off as she hooked her ankles around his narrow hips for leverage. A throaty growl erupted when he gripped her waist with one hand and clutched her flesh between his fingers, knowing exactly how dark the bruises would be later. Then, he slapped his other hand along the hot hood of the car, his self-control waning.

Scully brushed her lips along his prickly jaw, taking another stray tear into her mouth and pleaded, “ _please_ , Mulder…”

He obliged and rubbed the tip of his erection into her wet folds and then pushed into her with one long hard thrust, causing her to cry out expletives that she rarely uttered outside of the bedroom. Her eyes drew away from his face as her head bent down at an angle to watch the desperate race to reach euphoria between them. Gliding in and out of her at an already frantic pace, and hearing the familiar sounds of her rising to her peak, made him pump into her center even harder. He nudged her cheek with his nose, tilted her face up to meet his heavy lidded gaze and never looked away from her bright blue wet eyes, sending her love deep into his soul.

They were completely enraptured as their bodies rocked up and down at an accelerated stride. He crashed back into her and she couldn’t help but yelp. He withdrew and crashed again and again, digging his feet into the dirt. Sweat trickled down their foreheads and around their thighs, sticking their skin together with every movement. Mulder watched her body as it bounced in rhythm to his hips while her eyes rolled back into her head.

Right then, he felt his face slacken as pleasure took over to win the battle with his emotions. “Ahh, yes!”

Nothing could touch them when they were in their own bubble, the rest of the world faded away along with the shared blanket of anguish that the memories of the now three year old William suffocated them in.

The only sounds that surrounded them were the soft breeze ruffling through the palm trees, brushing along their revealed skin while the grunts and groans which overpowered the wet slapping sounds of their bodies ramming together echoed in the air.

“Oh, fuck…oh God!” she shrieked, after a particularly rough plunge of his hips and received a long moan from deep within his chest in return.

Scully dug her nails into the meat of Mulder’s back, tearing at his shirt and crushing his entire upper body into her own while she rode out her pleasure with an open mouth. Mulder clung onto the underside of her shaking thigh with one hand and squeezed at the back of her damp neck with the other as he bit down on her bottom lip, drawing her face closer in encouragement for her to let go.

Three vigorous thrusts later, she wailed out her pain mingled with pleasure into his mouth as he came undone right along with her. His hips slammed the back of her pelvis against the hard surface of the car while he jerked and chanted her name like a prayer. Scully’s limbs shook along with Mulder’s trembling hands that ran all over her sweaty exposed skin. Both of them disheveled and spent, she couldn’t help but fall boneless in the cradle of his arms as they released their emotional pain into each others bodies.

Still breathing hard, Mulder held onto Scully’s waist and pushed off of the car while he nuzzled her face with his nose. “Scully…” he gasped out.

“Yeah, I’m here. I’m okay, Mulder,” she assured, pressing a gentle kiss to his swollen lips.

He sighed and cupped her face with his warm palm and whispered, “feel better yet, Scully?” he asked as he watched her wipe his sweat streaked hair from his brow.

“Yes, good. I feel _good_ , Mulder,” she answered with a sated smirk as her eyes bounced between his. With a furrowed brow, she held his gaze to gage his state of mind. “Do you?” she asked, her voice laced with concern.

As he kept eye contact, he slowly left her body causing them both to hiss from the loss. Mulder gently pulled the bottom of her dress down over her exposed bottom half while she held onto the side mirror for balance. Her still quivering legs fell like stones away from his hips and her bare feet landed in the hot dirt and gravel, but she didn’t care. All she cared about was the man standing in front of her.

Bent down, he yanked up his pants and zipped up his fly. He cupped her chin and rubbed his thumb along her jawline. With complete honesty he explained, “I _feel_ , Scully. I’m happy to feel and not be either numb with grief, or stricken with so much anger and pain that I can barely function every time my son’s birthday comes around. I’m just happy he’s safe and I’m happy with you,” he reminded her while running his fingers through her hair.

Scully nodded and closed her eyes as Mulder wrapped his arms around her, smiling for the first time today into her hair.

“I love you, Mulder. Sickeningly so,” she told him adamantly, with her face pressed to his sternum. “I just…I miss him so damn much. And on his third birthday, a day that should be celebrated, I feel nothing but sadness,” she barely forced her words out without the lump in her throat taking over.

Mulder squeezed her tighter into his chest and relished in the feel of her hands gripping him back, he reassured her that he was there for her, always. “Oh, honey I know you do, me too,” he noted wistfully that missing his son he’d barely had the chance to know didn’t lessen his pain. He ran his fingers through her long, thick hair and crooned to her, “we’ll get through this, Scully, we will.”

There he stood on the side of a road, comforting a barefooted Scully who was still missing her panties after he’d just fucked the hell out of her against the side of their car.

And he hadn’t regretted a goddamn second of it.

\----------

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully I expressed the angst well enough since I'm not use to writing a whole lot of it. But it does get better in the coming chapters. Please let me know how you're liking the way they are dealing with Williams birthday so far.


	3. “Maybe there’s hope.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulder and Scully come across an event that changes their perspective on what "they" are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Jeri for the beta and your witty comments ;)

_ “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” -Maria Robinson _

\----------

Scully was peacefully content for the first time since she opened her eyes today with the fresh air whipping through her long hair, a full belly, and an utterly satisfied body. After they’d stopped for lunch earlier and freshened up in the restroom, she’d found herself immersed in the Top Hits station on the radio. 

She hummed along to a song by a woman describing herself as not wanting anything at all unless she had had her man. It was a pretty catchy song and she couldn’t deny the lyrics rang true in regards to her own life situation. 

She started to sing off key without even realizing it,  _ “I don’t want nothing at all, if I ain’t got you, baby…”  _ Noticing her own voice overpowered the much more attuned artist’s voice, she glanced over at Mulder in the passenger seat slumped down with his head resting on his arm that was propped up on the car door. A small line of drool had made its way down the side of his opened mouth. His left hand rested on top of her right one that had been patting his thigh to the beat of the music not long before. 

Scully couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. She’d watched Mulder sleep many times in the last eleven years, yet she had never quite gotten use to witnessing the relaxed boyish look of a sated Mulder. Even if he had worn that exact expression hundreds of times since they became  _ more than _ platonic, she never tired of studying it. 

She gripped the wheel in an attempt to fend off the sudden urge to lick the spit off of his face as the teasing throb between her legs hit her hard, even after their side of the road escapade. But a sharp whining groan snapped her attention back to Mulder’s face, and she realized immediately that his sweet dreams had turned into a nightmare.

Mulder felt himself being pulled away from the image of him in swim trunks laying on the beautiful sandy beach with Scully’s head resting on his warm damp chest as her hand trailed up and down his abs languidly. It was like a peaceful vision of their slightly older selves that showed a glimpse of what was to come. 

Through the tranquil quiet, he heard a young boy’s laugher. Mulder shaded his eyes and squinted at the bright sun to see who was there, but only saw a soft, light colored baby blanket blowing through the rapidly moving wind. 

The sky turned dark instantly as a monstrous crack of thunder boomed in the gray clouds around them that left him suffocated with the feeling of doom. Through the whipping wind and sand, Mulder jolted up and saw that Scully had vanished, had been wiped away in the wind along with the sweet laughter of the toddler. He was left alone with the very familiar baby blanket now held in his hands. 

Confused, he brought it to his face and smelled it. The hint of a familiar smell of baby struck Mulder cold as the hairs at the nape of his neck stood on end. 

Suddenly, he was sucked out forcefully into another image in his mind, not a vision or dream this time, but a memory that he would much rather have forgotten.

_ Mulder was back on the Indian Reservation in New Mexico running barefoot through the desert, letting the rocky ground tear at his feet. He wore nothing but a pair of dirt streaked sweatpants and fell to his knees as he sobbed in the silent night.  _

_ He had torn out of his trailer that he’d shared with Gibson in haste covered in a cold sheen of sweat, filled with panic, grief and anger.  _

_ Always anger.  _

_ Hot tears were running down his face while he clutched onto the soft threads of William’s cream baby blanket. Scully had given it to him the day he had to leave them alone to hide. “A keepsake,” she’d told him, as he had turned to walk out of her apartment door for the last time, with copious tears streaming down her pale makeup free face, mimicking his own agony.   _

_ His heart felt like it had been ripped out of his chest and his stomach twisted at the sheer thought of any harm coming to his family, his only reason for breathing. After listening to Gibson relay the message from their contact in DC that Scully and William we’re both safe after the attempt on his life, he was relieved beyond measure, yet fury weaved its way through.  _

_ He wasn’t there. He wasn’t there to protect them while his son was kidnapped and almost killed! He wasn’t there to stand at Scully’s side during the fight for their future. He. Wasn’t. Fucking. There.  _

_ And it was torture. One of the only realistic things keeping him grounded was the notion that they would all be reunited again. But also, the dark fantasy he coveted of him slowly killing those bastards, strangling them with his bare hands as he watched the life leave their eyes, and no one in the entire universe would be able to stop him!  _

_ Scully would send for him eventually and he would finally get to go home. To her and to William...  _

He tossed his head left and right as he groaned. Mulder heard a faint voice calling out his name just as he felt a small hand grip around his forearm and jostle him against the door. Her voice and touch had startled him awake like a bucket of ice water being tossed in his face. It was real, all of it was a real and true fucking nightmare. 

He realized he was panting from panic and had to struggle to tamp down his sudden blinding anger that radiated from under his skin. 

“Mulder?” A soft worried voice flitted through the loud noise of blood rushing through his ears. He turned his head and met a pair of wide bright blue eyes that bore right through him.

“Scully...I’m okay,” he assured her, wiping the drying drool stain from his mouth and sheen of sweat from his brow. “Sorry, just had a nightmare invade a damn good dream and I’m pretty pissed about it,” he explained it away dismissively, trying to blow it off. 

Scully saw right through his facade and knew it wasn’t something he wanted to talk about, but he really needed to stop hiding shit from her and let her show him that she was there to listen. 

“Your abduction?” she hesitantly asked. 

He scoffed, “no, Scully worse. Much worse.” 

She flicked her eyes over to his downcast face, wondering. “What could possibly be worse than being tortured on an alien ship and actually dying?” 

Of course she knew the answer and winced at the harshness of her words, but having to live through his abduction while carrying his child and subsequently having to bury the love of her life, was pure hell. She could only imagine what it was actually like for him and what horrors he’d kept secret for them to lie and churn up darkness deep within his tender soul.

Mulder had decided that today he needed to share his burdens burying them and moved to grip her hand, to tell her the truth. 

“Me leaving you and our son—you making me leave,” he forcefully reminded her, relinquishing in telling her the details of his living nightmare. “If I would’ve stayed—ignored your pleas to keep myself safe, then maybe things would’ve turned out differently. I’d resigned to sacrificing myself to keep my family safe, to give my life for yours,” he sighed, emotionally defeated as he ran a hand through his moist and mussed hair, irritated that he’d now put a damper on their lighter moods. 

As Scully pulled over and slowed the car to a crawl, she turned away from the road to face him completely and squeezed his hand hard within her own. 

Her voice was stern yet thick with emotion as she commanded, “Mulder, look at me.” He lifted his head and locked onto her intense stare. “Then I would be gone, too! If you had...if I had given in and let you stay, then I would have died without you anyway. At least when you left, it was to save us all.” In frustration, she grabbed his chin and pulled his face closer to hers, just a breath away. “I almost died the first time I had to bury you! Jesus, this sounds so fucking selfish but I know for a fact that I’ll never survive you not being by my side again,” she’d passionately stated the facts as she poured out her heart to him. 

He shut his eyes and let the warmth of her words soak in while he nodded and brought their still joined hands up to his lips, kissing the tension away. “It’s you and me, Scully, you and me. Right?” He murmured into her hand, sending tingles along her skin. 

With an arch of her brow she told him, “yes, Mulder. You and me, always. I meant it when I told you that on that jailhouse floor.” She smiled and returned her focus to the road ahead as she pulled back away from the curb, knowing she’d pushed that particular looming darkness away for good. 

Generally, both Mulder and Scully were not completely transparent emotional people who teetered on the edge of a break down, yet today brought out that demonstrative part of themselves. 

Mulder shook his head and wondered if maybe, they could find a way to change the feelings of turmoil into something more positive for them—something stationary and not as a dark cloud hanging over their heads, just as she’d said she wanted. He held out hope that maybe one day they could make William’s day of birth a memory not only to cherish, but a memory to celebrate their miracle. 

He echoed the words he’d whispered in Scully’s ear before, while laying on the first hotel room bed they slept in together as they ran from his death sentence with the same intense conviction. “Maybe there’s hope.”

\----------

The clock on the radio, which was now tuned to the classic rock station, had read 5:48pm. Mulder noted that the traffic down the side roads that navigated around the larger city limits was abnormally heavy all of a sudden. The implications of that were most likely nothing but it had upped his attentiveness and Scully caught on to his stiff body language immediately. 

“Mulder, we haven’t had one incident since we left DC of being followed or watched. I’m sure this traffic is just for an event or people getting out of work,” she looked out of the corner of her eye and watched him relax and nod. “Were not in a hurry so let’s just see where it takes us,” she offered as she pointed to the construction detour sign haphazardly set by the road.

Their car was the last in a long line of food service trucks and large family vehicles. Some had turned down another side road opposite of them that seemed to lead to a section of subdivisions, so Scully had no choice but to continue on following the detour which had lead them to an even more secluded area. 

“Damn, I need to use the bathroom now after I took that nap,” Mulder groaned and adjusted himself in the seat. “I wonder if there’s an Oasis around the corner, Scully.” He tossed her a wink and she huffed as the thoughts of their little game they played of fooling around at every single Oasis rest area or Travel Center that they drove by came to mind. 

Scully couldn’t help but smirk about Mulder being so damn tickled at that idea when she had made the off handed remark about how they should actually physically make their mark on the map that they always used to travel.  

Scully bit her lip and held back a sex laced retort when she noticed the truck in front of her had come to a rolling stop. With furrowed brows, they both shifted in their seats to see what the hell was going on, and that’s when they both had noticed the large gazebo covered in purple and white flowers sitting in front of rows upon rows of white linen covered chairs nestled in the grass. There were at least a couple hundred nicely dressed people milling around, most were chortling with champagne glasses in hand. The famous Billy Idol song popped into Mulder’s head when it dawned on him that the road that they were on had lead them to one gigantic wedding. 

Scully saw the open-mouthed look on Mulder’s face while he took in the scene and smiled to herself. She leaned in to take his hand into hers when a sharp tap on her window startled her half to death, making them both flinch. She rolled her window down the rest of the way and flinched again when a young man with dark brown eyes and black spiked up hair dressed in a tux rested his forearms on the door frame and leaned his face into the car, invading her space. 

“Hello!” Scully blurted out, more surprised than friendly. 

That raised Mulder’s hackles, and after his hellish nightmare putting his anger closer to the surface than normal, he struggled to tamp down any unnecessary physical response. Neither of them would approve of him getting his ass kicked for assaulting a kid dressed to the nines, nor risk getting turned into the FBI, even if he did have falsified documentation and ways to mess with the system. He had to chuckle to himself at all the tricks that the Gunmen taught him throughout the years, but still nothing was worth risking their lives.

Scully braced her hands on the steering wheel and waited. The kid who looked about twenty at the most, had opened his mouth to speak but had suddenly stopped. Mulder watched as his eyes slowly drifted downward and narrowed. 

Mulder cleared his throat and tossed the young man the evil eye. “Sun in your eyes?” he quipped, catching the man’s appreciative stare at Scully’s perky braless breasts which were being squeezed between her arms. Mulder tilted his head down to lock his own  _ un _ appreciative glare onto the obviously very brave or very stupid groomsman. Mulder knew exactly what this guy was doing, but wasn’t sure if Scully had caught onto his ogling. The fact that men have always noticed Scully’s beauty and sexy body, had never been lost to him after years of being her partner—hell he wasn’t blind—but doing it right in front of his face was un-fucking acceptable. 

The kid—being smarter than he looked—caught on immediately to Mulder’s alpha male posturing and righted his eyes as he looked down at his feet with a sheepish smirk on his blushed face. 

“Uh…hey guys,” he stammered as he leaned back away from the window. “Sorry but you’re kinda late for the valet parking. But if you swing around the catering truck in front of you, you can just park in the handicap spots up by the building that no one’s using.” 

Scully piped in before Mulder could and explained that they weren’t there for any event and were just stuck in traffic while she tossed the kid a toothy smile. That put a bright grin across young man’s mouth yet again, and it took all of Mulder’s willpower to not reach over and yank him through the car window by his crooked bow tie and punch that goofy smile right off of his face. 

“Ah, out of towners huh? We actually had last minute rush of guests who were trapped in the detour as well. If you’re not from around here, you wouldn't know to turn off down the main road first,” he stated, pointing his thumb over his shoulder. “Sudden onsets of construction sites are pretty common through here this time of year.” 

Mulder cleared his throat again, louder this time as to send the message for the kid to get to the point. “Mulder…” Scully warned while shifting uncomfortably in her seat, and he saw her hands grip the wheel a little tighter as she felt his mood darken. He was already irritated and frankly two seconds from losing the very last of his patience, even if he had to endure the wrath of Scully afterward he figured it might just be worth it.

After glancing at his watch, the kid added, “look, I don't know if you're busy or anything, but my sister is getting married tonight and my parents went all out. There’s a shit ton of expensive food and booze to take your mind off your shitty traffic situation and we already have 300 guests at this thing—a couple more are more than welcome.” He then looked over the hood of their car and opened his arms out, waving to the mass of people dancing to the music surrounding them. “Whatcha say? You got some room in your belly and your dancing shoes on?” 

Scully turned to Mulder with the look in her eyes that screamed the message  _ ‘anything to get out of this car’,  _ and he had to agree when his bladder reminded him that he still needed to pee. 

“Yeah, okay that sounds nice. Thank you very much for the offer,” Scully responded, knowing they had nowhere important to be and rolled up her window as Mulder huffed and watched the chipper groomsman jog off, disappearing into the vast crowd of guests searching for their seats.  

Scully then pulled around the truck and followed the way to the parking lot then parked the car and unbuckled herself. She turned and nudged Mulder’s arm knowing full well he’d caught onto the kid’s roaming eyes. He looked slightly annoyed but she knew he probably wouldn’t say anything to her, he’d rather just stew in his own juices, but she damn well hated when he did that. 

“You did that on purpose, Mulder,” she blurted out, tucking her hair behind her ear while she checked her reflection in the visor mirror. She could see his head tilt as a cocky grin enveloped his face out of the corner of her eye. 

“Ya think, Scully?” he threw back at her with his wry grin intact. He got out of the car and straightened out his shirt and decided that with his attire being jeans and a sweat stained t-shirt which still held the slight aroma of sex, wasn’t the most appropriate thing to show up at a wedding in. Maybe he and Scully would be able to stay hidden in the back row and take the opportunity to people watch. “That guy had some balls.”

She just rolled her eyes met him beside the car and moved her hands through his wind blown hair as she planted a hard kiss on his mouth, slowly as she grazed his bottom lip with the tip of her tongue. 

“You know, you’re the only one who’s ever welcome to sneak a peek, more than peek.” Mulder had been officially scolded for his jealous behavior; and he loved her even more for it. 

Overall, Mulder never really cared for large groups of people. Crowds of judgmental faces and shadowy figures had tainted that experience for him back in his teen years. But weddings, he had always enjoyed for some reason. Hell, the fact Scully was wrapped around his arm, had made the whole situation comfortable for him, even if there had been 300 hundred strangers gawking at his sweaty getup. They could all kiss his ass today, he mused as he pulled Scully in for his signature forehead kiss, catching the scent of her cherry shampoo she used this morning.

As they walked hand in hand through the large wide open field covered in flowers, a thought had entered Mulder’s mind, “Maybe fate has something in store for us today after all.” He muttered while he looked down at Scully’s head resting along his shoulder and was met with her raised brow and pink tongue sliding along her bottom lip. 

They stared and read one another’s thoughts that shown through their eyes. She’d broken eye contact first to watch all of the guests that were still socializing find their seats. Scully had just squeezed his fingers that were laced between hers as a reassuring response and lead them to the back row of decorated chairs. 

To Mulder, it had seemed as if she had something on her mind that he couldn’t read, something that he’d hoped was the same  _ something _ that he had on his. And as they sat down to wait for the ceremony to start, he couldn’t help but stare at Scully’s profile glowing among the flowers and lights while she basked in the romantic atmosphere surrounding them. 

The gold string lights had been lit along the walkway and down the aisle that set off a warm glimmer underneath the slightly overcast sky and Scully thought everything was breathtaking. It was lavish and absolutely beautiful. Bright green trees filled with lilies and orchids lined the entryway and the giant tent off to the side where the reception would take place. With it being an evening ceremony, the couple would be getting married surrounded in large strings of lights pulled across the gazebo and the aisle which all came together at the center. Romantic had been the word she thought described the whole scene.    

Mulder had similar thoughts of his own, although his were more focused on the images of Scully wearing a simple white gown that hugged every little curve, dip and swell of her body. How amazing her fiery hair and big blue eyes would look as she stood before him saying ‘I do’ embossed in a white light. He had that fantasy for years now but had never honestly thought that was in the cards for them, and now thanks to the government, he was sure as hell not getting anything legal done any fucking time soon. He had to shake that negative thought away immediately, he’d made the decision already to enjoy himself for the rest of the night and he held out hope Scully would too. 

The guests all seem to settle at once and a soft music rang through the air as the ushers escorted the parents to their seats in the front. The bridesmaids and groomsmen came next and Mulder had caught the eye of the gawker from earlier and made sure the kid kept his eyes to himself as he walked down the aisle. 

Scully could feel Mulder tense and tried to stifle a laugh as she caught on to his intent and poked him with her pointy elbow in the ribs. He leaned in and rumbled in her ear, “we’re crashing a wedding, Scully. I don’t think they’ll notice if I glare at a groomsman for ogling my…Scully.” He had almost let the word wife slip out but they weren’t married—no matter how much he wished they were, and they never really placed any label on what they were together. There was no need to, not for them. But, that didn’t mean Mulder wasn’t tempted to claim her as such. 

“Mulder, no dry sarcastic remarks during the wedding, please,” Scully rolled her eyes knowing that was probably too much to hope for from him. 

He huffed and bumped her hip with his. “No one can hear us in the back row even if I do,” he quipped, smirking when he heard her mumble the word  _ if _ sarcastically. “And those who had already taken a look at me and my clothing, I’m sure won’t think twice about me being flippant.” 

Scully tilted her head and eyed him from head to toe and back up again. “Don’t be surprised when they do, Mulder,” his brows shot up and she had to suck her lips in her mouth just to hold back her smile. 

They were always going to be Mulder and Scully. Yet Mulder, being the greedy half of the whole, had just realized that he wanted even more for them.

But the question was, did she?

\----------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I liked the idea that they actually had some other human interaction with people while on the run. More soon I promise!


	4. For Better Or Worse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Has life on the run turned into something much more meaningful for Mulder and Scully?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took me a lot longer than I anticipated so I really do hope that you like it and picture them the way I did. Please let me know how you felt about this one so I can keep whats left of my sanity ;) Kidding...sort of lol!

_ “A woman or man of value doesn’t love you because of what he or she wants you to be or do for them. He or she loves you because your combined souls understand one another, complements each other, and make sense above any other person in this world.” -Shannon L. Alder _

\----------

Five minutes later, Mulder excused himself when he felt his bladder scream and stomach turn at the thought of his epiphany and wanting more for their life as a couple—not knowing if it would ever even matter in the scheme of all things “them”. He’d left Scully sitting there watching the events unfold to use the restroom in the building by the parking lot and finally relieve himself, but during the whole walk there and back, he couldn’t shake the notion that maybe this was as good as a life shared with Spooky Mulder would get. Would he be able to actually live with himself if their names were never cleared? What if she could be living a normal life visiting with her family and working as a doctor as she pleased, without him? What if Scully was off the hook already, free and clear? And the million dollar question that rolled around his brain consistently—what if he never would be? 

A wedding was the last place he should be deliberating about where the hell their future was headed but he just couldn’t help it, even as it mocked him while throwing yet another normal act that they weren’t experiencing in his face. He felt horrible enough as it was—dragging his best friend through hell and back as his work partner and now he felt as if he was withholding a better future from his life partner now, too. He’d just hoped to hell that she felt differently.

He trudged back through the grass and around the decorated tree line to the back row seating where he spotted Scully’s red hair reflecting the sun's rays. Jesus, she was beautiful, he thought as he slid down into his seat next to her. She hadn’t turned to face him while looking off in the opposite direction, only instinctively reached out and held onto his hand with a firm grip. They had always had that connection, and some had said an otherworldly awareness of one another from very early on in their partnership. They could  _ feel _ each other thinking, hurting, and sense that physical presence acutely. Since that time so long ago, it’s only gotten more intense. Even when they weren’t around one another for a short period of time, they missed that connection implicitly—as if something tethered within them was being pulled too tightly. 

Mulder looked at her again more closely and that’s when he’d noticed the wide beautiful smile that lit up her face, slowly fading right in front of him. He instinctively knew why and he’d beaten himself up for that very same thing. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, tucking her into his embrace as he ran a hand along her thigh. Scully looked up into his swirling eyes and she knew what he had seen when he looked at her, what was written out in her own eyes plain as day. 

“Scully, you can’t keep doing this to yourself. We can’t,” Mulder explained to her while he rubbed along her arm. “We can’t keep punishing ourselves for feeling joy, happiness. We did the right thing and you know that, you always have even though it hurts,” he said along her cheek and cut off her retort that he’d known was coming with a finger to her lips. “Yes,  _ we _ did the right thing, Scully. We each did the right thing just in different ways, but for the same reason—unconditional love for our son.” 

Scully sighed as she released the tension in her shoulders. She knew he was right. As much as she hated to admit it, he was usually right about most things when it came to the inner workings of her mind and heart. So while looking directly into his eyes and nodding, she admitted to herself and to him that she received the message loud and clear. 

Maybe it will really all be worth it, Scully thought to herself. She held out anticipation that every close call, every heartache, every unselfish sacrifice would prove to give their lives—William’s life—a glimmer of hope. She had a deep feeling, a connection that she seemed to carry with her that they could be reunited in the end—that the darkness they’d kept hidden would eventually fade completely with the light of happiness they shared. 

Mulder laid a gentle kiss on the top of her head—seemingly caught up in his own thoughts as Scully contemplated about marriage in general and the unconditional love that Mulder and herself felt not only for William, but for one another as well. As she glanced up at the Mother of the bride beaming in the front row, a conversation she had held with her own Mother on that very subject brought her comfort. 

_ “Dana, I don’t know why you’re so reluctant to talk about it,” she added in defense, amused with her mouth half hidden behind her coffee mug.  _

_ “I’m not reluctant, Mom, I’m just…not sure if marriage is something for US _ ,”  _ Scully argued, already uncomfortable after having her Mom walk in on her and Mulder wrapped up in a tight embrace with their tongues down each others throats. _

_ This way was certainly not the way she had intended on sharing the news of the fact that she and Mulder had finally admitted out loud that they were in love—that they had jumped off that platonic cliff, into each other's hearts and bodies.  _

_ “Look, Mom, we’re in love and have been for—hell probably since that first couple of years as partners. But Mulder and I don’t need a piece of paper or a pair of rings to prove that we’re meant for one another—prove that we will watch each other’s backs, stand side by side as equals, and always share our love and respect. We’re partners, Mom, in every sense of the word, always.”  _

_ Scully felt the heat flush across her cheeks as she spoke the final words through her lashes, slightly embarrassed that she actually poured out her feelings to her Mother while Mulder stood listening just outside of the kitchen. But as her Mom grinned teary-eyed across the table from her, she suddenly realized in that very moment, that she would repeat every word with conviction in a heartbeat and didn’t give a goddamn WHO heard her.  _

The sudden wave of people rising to their feet around her for the woman in white caused Scully to snap her head up, and out of the memory that left her feeling warm and elated. She rose with Mulder’s arm still firmly draped around her, understanding her subconscious was really trying to remind her of why and for whom she chose the current path she was on. 

Love. 

She did it all for the frustrating, dangerous, intense, consuming, perfect love she had for Fox Mulder.  

And now, she wanted him to know she still felt that way—that she truly would always feel this way. Scully leaned back against Mulder’s hard warm chest and turned her head toward him as she sighed and linked his fingers with hers. 

As the sky slowly darkened, Scully aptly watched the bride and groom as they took their places at the center of the ornately decorated archway while the Minister began the process of binding two people together under the eye of God. 

As the they were told to be seated, Scully was struck with a jolt of nervousness. As much as she wanted to be bound to Mulder in yet another significant way, she was hesitant. Hesitant to wordlessly take that leap to convey how deeply her love and commitment ran considering where their lives were at that moment. 

She turned her head to face him as the Minister began to speak and reinforced her grip on his hand with a strong squeeze, pulling their joined hands into her lap while his eyes danced over her face. Would he feel the same as her about essentially saying vows to one another even if he didn’t believe in God? He had hinted to marriage in the past but she had never taken his words at face value during those times for a multitude of reasons. Now she could kick herself for not pressing him for more details. 

Was this even the right time to do this? For Christ’s sake not only was it their son’s birthday, whom they had given away to strangers, but she had spent hours this morning choking on her tears and fucking his father on the side of the road just to feel better about it. She squeezed her eyes shut and bowed her head. Mulder was right, she had to stop internally beating herself to death if she ever wanted to move on in this relationship with him. 

The fact was, she wanted to be there—needed to be there with him. With him. Him, always him. 

Paralyzed with the reminder that at more than one point, he was gone from her. Taken, tortured, killed, buried, unearthed alive, sent away, and sentenced to death. That feeling of hopeless loss of losing the other half of her that made her whole, the man who gave her life meaning and gifted her with true unyielding love was nothing she could ever really describe to him. Only during the late night visit to her deathbed did Mulder ever convey he’d physically known that fucking tortuous feeling of losing the love of your life as well as she had. 

_ “Oh, Mulder, you have to let me go,” Scully sighed, tears leaking out of her eyes, rolling over the side of her nose and into the pillow. He squeezed her hands between his, almost to the point of pain, as if that could keep her from leaving the world. “Please, don’t do this to yourself. For me, Mulder, I have know—to have peace that you’ll be okay when I’m gone,” she chokes through the lump in her throat. _

_ “Scully, please don’t—hearing you say that kills me,” Mulder’s body shook as he cried into their joined hands while leaning across the hospital bed, his face slick with grief. Sucking in a ragged breath he admitted, “If I could trade places with you, I’d do it in a heartbeat. I’d do anything for you!” he yelled passionately, licking his tears off his lips. Scully’s heart broke even more for the man she’d fallen for, but forced a sad smile for his consistent loyalty in finding a cure. “I would marry you right here, right now if I thought it could save you,” he said with a smirk, breaking the palpable tension of despair. _

Little did she know back then, that he had wanted to marry her right then and there just because he was in love with her, and not just to make her smile or because her life was slipping through his fingers like the tears down his face.  

With that gut wrenching memory—that thought had supported her decision, solidified it. He was the man she wanted to marry, and she’d known that way back then. She wanted to be fused to Mulder in this way for the rest of their lives. Even if it wasn’t official or legal, it would be to them and she wanted to do it. She wanted to do it right now!

Mulder rested his hand that had been embracing her shoulders along her neck and moved the other hand around her upper arm, turning her slightly to face him. He stared hard into her eyes to try and read her thoughts and knew she needed to  _ see _ how he felt in that very moment with her. God, he loved everything about her. Even her down-right fucking aggravating attributes that had his head spinning on many occasions just made him fall deeper and deeper for her. Her bravery, perseverance, loyalty, hardheadedness, and especially the way she loved him, served only as reminders that she was so much more than just the small yet significant pieces that made up Dana Scully as a whole. 

So as his eyes danced back and forth between hers, he sent out his deeply ingrained love, affection, and trust for her from his soul and into her own. “Scully…” he breathed.

“The way you look at me, my God, Mulder,” she said shaking her head, voice raw and exposed. “You still make my heart pound just as hard as the day I met you. The intensity you express for what you’re so passionate about is overwhelming at times.” Scully licked her lips and watched every line and movement of his features as he beamed at her expression. She had to dip her chin and flick her eyes to their laced fingers when his gaze became too much. “From the beginning, you’ve been like a drug to me, and not in a bad way, Mulder,” she strongly whispered to quell any self-doubt on his part. “But it’s true in the way that I’m completely and utterly addicted to you, in every way possible. I  _ need _ you almost as much as I want you.”

Mulder was grateful and slightly surprised by Scully’s blatant declaration of her feelings, but still grinned wildly while the love for his other half spread warmth through him in way of a low humming buzz. He brought their joined hands up to his lips and brushed them along the silky softness of the back of her hand. “And you love it,” he told her, with a glint in his eye. 

Scully lifted her chin and raised her brow as the corners of her mouth curved upward. “And I love it.”

Mulder swallowed and started again, “Scully…” She angled her head toward him, donning her usual all-knowing Scully expression. He knew she could feel his anxiousness from his intention but she didn’t shy away from him. Then she smiled, an amazing heartfelt grin that knocked the breath right out of his chest. With his arm still wrapped around her shoulder while caressing her neck, he leaned in a little closer to her face as she moved their clutched hands into her lap and stroked his forearm, brushing her fingertips along the fine hairs. He nudged her cheek with his and told her, “I’ve always loved you, Scully, and it’s time we did this, for us.” 

Scully’s eyes welled with unshed tears as he pressed two warm kisses along her cheek bone and leaned back to face her. It was her turn to assure him. “Yes, Mulder it’s about time, isn’t it?” she playfully stated. 

As the groom started with his terms of endearment,  _ “from that very first moment I met you, I knew my life would never be the same…” _ the couple took turns reminiscing and repeated their vows from the Minister. Mulder and Scully lightly laughed at one another as the couples words hit home. They took the opportunity to do the same as they spoke to one another the way they have since day one, with their eyes. 

The soft murmuring of oaths and promises sent a surge of confidence into them both while they felt the momentous turning points in their lives they shared together flash back in their minds.    

Their expressions grew serious as they gazed into the depths of one another. The moss green and ocean blue colliding in that unique and undeniable way that only belonged to a pairing of soulmates. Those looks they shared, were everything. It was him in Antarctica; It was her in Alaska; It was him sobbing at her deathbed; It was her weeping at his funeral; It was them kissing over their sleeping son nestled between them. It was them. It was  _ everything _ . 

“Wow, Scully…” Mulder was struck speechless with the magnitude of the moment. 

She brought her hands up to either side of his head, her fingers pressing into his temples and around his ears, holding him steady in her gaze. Mulder’s heart was racing with excitement as the realization of what they were doing finally sunk in. Her smile for him was ethereal and he felt himself falling for her—into her all over again. 

Her forehead touched his as she softly spoke, “it was so easy to fall in love with you, Mulder, that it took me four years to realize I’d already fallen.” His nose nuzzled hers and she slowly fluttered her eyes. “Now there isn’t one second that passes by where I’m not aware of just how far gone I am for you.” 

Scully knew she was eternally woven in Mulder’s quest after those very first few cases as his partner, but she was also internally woven into  _ him _ , into his essence that desperately reached out for her own. It had just taken her a while to figure it out. 

She loved Mulder so much more than mere words or jewelry could even express. In that moment, the perfect words being uttered, or rings being slid upon one another’s fingers didn’t matter. Only the two of them speaking from the heart in their own way, and sealing the promise of finality with their lips were what truly mattered.  

More thoughts and vows being repeated in the background had only supported the life commitment they were sharing in their own little world, and it urged them on to fully express their love. 

_ “I take you, to be my wife. I vow to be your biggest fan and partner in crime.” _

Mulder smirked and nudged Scully’s knee with his thigh and was gifted with a toothy grin from her in return. “You’re my best friend, my lover, and partner for life,” he breathed heavily, the words he’d been thinking about for so long rushed to the surface and practically poured out of him. 

Scully hummed and felt a blush rise up her neck as she absorbed his words, realizing that her own thoughts on exactly what to say came to her easily. “Mulder, I promise that I will laugh with you, mourn with you, and grow old with you,” she choked out and gripped his face a little harder, emotions threatening to take over as she looked away and leaned the top of her head on Mulder’s shoulder to try to compose herself. 

_ “I vow to love you faithfully and unconditionally through difficult and easy times.” _

Mulder ran a hand up and down Scully’s back, lending her support as he touched his lips to the shell of her ear. “Scully…Dana, I will love and cherish you when we’re together,” he murmured into her ear and felt her press her mouth to his collarbone. “And I will do the same when we’re apart,” he promised, as Scully shuddered along his chest while the bride and groom’s voices faded into the background once again. 

She lifted her head just enough to turn her face into his neck and spoke when her lips grazed his hot skin. “I will always support you and your dreams, no matter how crazy they are,” Mulder huffed out a laugh and she grinned into his shirt. Scully found it easier to speak without her voice breaking if she could do it without direct eye contact. “God, Mulder, I vow to respect our differences, knowing that they bind us together,” she told him with passion, lifting her head and facing him nose to nose. 

Mulder gently wiped the tear stains from her face and held her chin, their faces just a breath away. “I promise to love you—to be your comfort and friend for the rest of my life,” he finished, sealing his commitment with a kiss to the bridge of her nose while he felt her nodding in agreement. 

Saying his vows, those words seemed so inadequate to how he’d actually felt about her, how he’d felt for the longest time. Only voicing or repeating them to one another just seemed so…insignificant, compared to speaking them in their own distinctive way to one another with their eyes and touch. 

His breath quickened and his eyes darkened on her with intent. “Forever, Scully,” Mulder touched his warm lips to the corner of her mouth as his voice vibrated along her skin. “For better or worse, I am  _ yours _ and you are mine.”

Sucking in a shaky breath while her thumbs rubbed the sides of his warm face, she returned his affirmation, “I know I’m not the greatest at expressing myself, but I need you to hear this from me tonight. I  _ am _ yours. For better or worse, Mulder, I’m yours.” Scully’s heartbeat hummed in her ears as her throat constricted, only allowing few words at a time to slowly move from her heart and out of her mouth. “Always. No matter what, that has been and always will be the truth. My truth.”  

Mulder bit his lip while he brought her delicate hands down from his face and cupped them between his larger ones, pressing them into his chest so she could feel his racing heart. Keeping his face touching hers, he swallowed hard and rasped out, “you are my touchstone, my purpose, my light in the dark...my Scully.” A lone tear trickled down the side of his nose that was nestled next to hers and then absorbed within her skin. A comforting analogy for them both. 

Scully gasped when her own tear dropped down her face as his sentiment sent a wave of elation through her. Mulder smiled and moved a hand up to tuck a strand of her waving hair behind her ear, faces still languidly moving along each other. 

“And you are mine,” Scully said softly through her own overwhelming emotions, mimicking her response to his outpour of love for her years before in the doorway of his apartment. 

Mulder chuckled at the deeper meaning to her response as he ran his hand from her hair to around her neck and up to cradle the back of her head. Scully tilted ever so slightly and their mouths greeted each other with overwhelming intensity. 

Mulder’s other arm wrapped tightly around her hips, pulling her flush at the same moment her hands had slid up his chest and around his back where they gripped fist fulls of his shirt, needing to be as close to one another as possible. With their limbs tangled and chests rubbing, their lips slid back and forth, barely balancing on the thin line of euphoric and erotic.   

In that moment as the words,  _ “you may kiss the bride” _ echoed throughout the din of applause and cheers, Mulder and Scully kissed one another deeper and more passionately than they had ever kissed before while moaning into each other’s mouths, far outlasting the young bride and groom and even missing their departure down the aisle. 

\----------

A short time later, after composing themselves, they were finally able to follow the rest of the guests over to the building. Scully gave Mulder the look that he’d received whenever she was anxious for alone time, so they decided to forgo the dinner and dancing to get on the road sooner rather than later. They had a marriage to consummate, after all. As they walked hand in hand with their heads in the clouds, they were greeted with a photo station for the guests to get their picture taken as a parting gift. 

Mulder looked down at Scully and she nodded. They wanted a memento to take with them for a day like today. 

“Hi there, I’m Michelle, would you two like a photo to take home?” the older woman with kind eyes asked while holding up a polaroid camera. 

Scully nodded, “yes, please!” Mulder stood next to Scully as the woman readied the camera. 

“Okay, I usually offer advice for posing with lighting since it’s getting dark outside now and I’m using this type of camera,” she said, looking down and adjusting the flash. As Michelle looked up and held the camera level, she gasped as her mouth hung wide open and quickly pressed the button, sending off a flash of light that captured Mulder and Scully so naturally holding one another with their emotions shining through.  

The seasoned woman cleared her throat and held out the printed polaroid, as Scully and Mulder were still caught up in gazing at each other. They turned simultaneously, separating their entwined bodies as Mulder accepted the photo and Scully blushed. 

“I have to say, in all my 59 years here on this earth, I haven’t seen a couple so enraptured with one another like you two are. Your love shines like the sun,” Michelle admitted, giving off an expression of awe. 

Mulder grinned like a fool and Scully bit her lip as her pinkening cheeks brightened. They all smiled at one another, saying their goodbyes while Mulder and Scully stared at the developing photo and walked back to their car arm in arm.    

As the crickets chirped and the warm breeze blew the stray hairs away from their eyes, Mulder stopped short of the car’s door. “Let’s get off this dead end road we’re on, Scully,” he told her, with the double meaning not going unnoticed. Scully handed him the keys she had in the pocket of her cardigan and they both got in the car as they shared a smile, knowing what step came next. 

Leaning over her lap, Mulder snuck in another kiss to her swollen lips as he snagged the map off of the dashboard. He opened it up and smoothed it out across his lap to display the large image of the United States covered in ink with tiny circles and stars, marking their journey over the last two and a half years. 

“Same as usual?” he questioned, looking at her with the goofy grin he couldn’t keep off of his face. She nodded with a smirk. One he noted hadn’t stayed off of her face since the ceremony either. “Pick a place any place, Scully.” 

Mulder beamed at his now wife and wondered where the hell they would end up this time. Where ever it would be, he knew it would be someplace static, someplace with tangible meaning to them. He was sick to death of running and knew she was too. They hadn’t once come across anyone who had actively sought them out since after those first few months that they’ve been labeled as fugitives. Even though it was still risky, It was time for _them_ and he didn’t give a flying fuck if he had to take out every threat that crossed their path to happiness. Mulder was determined to make a future happen for them instead of having to _fight_ it. 

Scully’s choice on where they would go from here would prove to be the first real step in their ‘for better or worse’. “Ready?” she asked.

Mulder grinned wryly and couldn’t help himself. “Let’s get it on, honey,” he laughed, wiggling his eyebrows at his own comment that referred back to when they  _ had  _ to   _ pretend _ to be a married couple. 

Scully scoffed and rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her amusement. She then shut them tightly, smirking as she waved her hand around dramatically and dropped her finger down on a northeastern state. Laughing at the location, they grinned joyfully at each other as she covered his left hand with hers, rubbing her thumb back and forth along the space of his finger where his wedding band would’ve rested. 

“Virginia, here we come!” 

\----------

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my head, I never really had a clear image of them getting married in a traditional way whatsoever. I mean nothing they do is traditional so why would the meaning of Mulder's "for better or worse" comment in MSIV be in reference to something so "normal." 
> 
> Hopefully this wasn't too much or too little fluff for your shipper hearts


	5. Another day like today

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue: Life on the run is for Mulder and Scully is now in the past. This is how they fair in their future together.

_“The road to happiness has never been a straight one, and yet, it is the only road worth traveling, no matter how curvy or rocky it is!” -Mehmet Ildan_

\----------

_One year later…_

_(2005)_

Scully closed the office door and walked around the corner to see Mulder frosting bright blue cupcakes in their kitchen. The Cher song they had danced along to after that Great Mutato case over a decade ago played softly in the living room and Scully smiled at Mulder’s romantic gesture.

Frosting smudges, cake batter, and ingredients were strewn all along the counter and wooden dining table. The sight thrilled her in a way that only he could elicit in her. Witnessing Mulder bake was a rare sight over the years since they’d become friends and then _more_ than, but an unbelievably sexy sight to see indeed. Yes, sex and sadness is what another day like today brought for them both. Yet, it seemed that she _could_ handle their son’s birthday without locking herself in the bathroom and breaking down or trying to hide her emotions about it from Mulder.  He would feel her discontent anyway from the moment she woke.

Scully had learned over the years—especially within the last year—that it was much more rewarding to lean on Mulder for comfort instead of fighting to find it on her own. Her newly found strength regarding William had stemmed from the talk and promises they had made the year before which only permanently solidified the road they were driving down together. She had also learned that when she did lean, he leaned right back. And goddamn it felt wonderful!

Scully certainly wasn’t naive to believe that their dark cloud would never return to cast shade on their sunshine, but she knew that when it did resurface, they would survive and come out stronger in the end no matter what sacrifices they might need to make in order to find their way again.

It was true that they shared a feeling of loss for their little one who was celebrating his fourth birthday today, but they also shared a feeling of deep, all consuming love for one another.

And she was happy, dammit! They were happy, and it finally felt like they deserved to _feel_ happy.

Smiling wide, she sighed contently at her husband and felt a rush of excitement for the new changes coming to their life. She had received news just days after leaving Florida that her name was cleared and she was free to live life out in the open again, a life with permanency. The news trickled through the underground grapevine via Skinner that Mulder still was considered a fugitive but the priority on finding him had lessened considerably. He had promised that in the future, those who knew the truth about him would be able to set the record straight and him free as well.

Scully knew, with the mass amount of money that they had hidden under false identities, that she still had a few years to find out where and what she wanted to do work wise before the run money ran out. Becoming a practicing doctor was an option she’d thought about taking but she knew that working in a DC hospital would be tricky with their history, whether she were cleared or not. Laying low for as long as possible was the advice they were given three years back, which is what she and Mulder had both agreed was the best option.

But when it came to Mulder, he couldn’t have been happier for her reclaiming her good name and being able to visit her Mother. Yet, she instantly felt a pang in her heart that Mulder wouldn’t be joining her. She’d ended up crying for him, and for William in the hotel shower that night while Mulder was out on his evening run.

That was a year ago. And since then, her Mom has shown up at their home once a month just to visit with Mulder and show him the affection she so desperately missed giving him.

Feeling sudden overwhelming desperation to show her husband affection herself, she moved forward wrapping her arms around his waist, hugging him into her tightly while she relished in the baritone of his laugh vibrating along her chest. The satisfaction that swept over her left warmth to pool in her belly and the familiar yearning throbbing through her.

“Hey, there you are.” Caressing his hands along her arms that were squeezing him close, he looked back toward her and hummed deeply knowing exactly what she had in mind as her fingers slowly drew circles along his abs, creeping lower and lower. “Aww honey, don’t you think we should wait until the cupcakes are finished?”

“Mulder, you know calling me honey only makes me want you more,” she scolded teasingly, with a gentle skim of her finger over his blooming erection.

Mulder groaned knowing it was a term of endearment he used sparingly for that very reason. He was surprised to find out that tidbit of information about her when he had called her honey that first week they were on the run while they tried to blend in with the locals. Ever since knowing it made her wild for him, he’s only called her that on special occasions. Driving her wild had become his favorite past time and Scully certainly couldn’t get enough of it.

He spun around while still wound up in her little arms and encompassed her entirely, holding her against his body. Mulder couldn’t help but think about how damn lucky he was to have Dana Scully to hold all the days of his life.

With her in his arms, Mulder remembered back when they had arrived in the outskirts of Virginia after traveling from Florida for seven hours straight. Their last break, that consisted of a meal and a makeout session in the nearest Travel Center, prompted them to get to their motel as quickly as possible and consummate their vows. He wanted to make slow sweet love to her in a bed bathed in candlelight and not another quick fevered fuck on the side of the road. So the whole ride included an obscene amount of excited touching, kissing, rubbing and wandering hands finding their way down the inside of each other’s underwear. Oh, if cars could talk...

_Scully was checking her and Mulder into yet another rundown crap motel when an elderly man posting a flyer on the bulletin board in the small lobby caught his eye. He could see the man was struggling to make the paper stay with pushing in the tiny pins alone and Mulder, being the gentleman he never had to try very hard to express, rushed over to help him without a second thought. He noticed that the information on the flyer held no photo or remarkable description of the home for sale. Just a line at the top stating, “A cozy Farrs Corners home that’s ready to be filled with love. This peaceful secluded life makes for a happy wife.” He had to stifle a laugh after reading that tag line since it had seemed to fit their life remarkably well at the moment. Yet, everything about the flyer was utterly unremarkable. That in itself had captured Mulder’s attention immediately. And glancing back at his newly wedded wife with a devilish grin, he held out hope they had finally found the perfect place to live out their future together._

_One week later—after her telling him that he was “bat crap crazy” more than once—Scully signed her name on the deeds dotted line and he had finally carried her over the threshold that night, creatively christening every single room with their love in their new unremarkable house. Twice._

Scully pinched his ass causing Mulder to jump in surprise and grip his hands around her hips.

“Mulder? Not that I’m complaining, but If you’re done stabbing me in the stomach with your well-endowed anticipation for what _coming_ after desert, then I suggest we untangle and get the candles.” Scully let a giggle slip out as she enjoyed her teasing with her chin perched atop of Mulder’s chest. He just smirked down at her and thrusted his full erection into her again.

“You’re killing me right now, Scully—interrupting my memories of when we found and christened the house won’t help the stabbing any. And you slinging innuendo at me is sure as hell not going to keep the monster from his hunt,” he belly laughed at the admonishing yet aroused look on her face as he reluctantly let her loose.

She elbowed him and he turned back around to ready the candles for each cupcake.

They had thought about an answer to their question on how to honor the day in their own way together, but baking and making a wish for their son seemed like the only choice to make. It wasn’t too celebratory nor too insignificant for them to acknowledge William and their special day at once.

Mulder pulled out two superman blue frosted cupcakes with a candle on each one. Scully had told him the story years earlier that right before William was given to Catholic Charities for his pending adoption, he had eaten a cupcake topped with superman blue frosting that Maggie had made for him while baby sitting in celebration of William’s half birthday.

_Scully unlocked the front door and followed the sounds of giggling coming from her Mother’s kitchen. “Mom, I’m back. What are you two up—” she couldn’t even finish her question as her eyes widened and a huge grin spread across her face._

_There sat William on the counter, donning only his diaper and the mass amount of bright blue frosting smeared all over his hands, rounded belly, and chubby cheeks as he attempted to shove what remained of the crushed cupcake into his drooling O-shaped mouth._

_“Hi Dana! I wanted to wait for you to get back, but this little guy had other ideas and stuck his hand in the frosting jar.” Both women laughed, and as Scully walked over to press her lips onto her son’s face, she received a perfectly shaped tiny blue handprint along the front of her white blouse._

She told Mulder one night when they were sharing memories with one another, that she wished that she had never washed that meaningful mark off of her shirt.

Scully pulled out a lighter and lit each candle resting the piled high blue frosting. They closed their eyes to make a wish and blew them out in unison, sharing a sad smile with one another through the trails of smoke wafting in their faces. Mulder grabbed Scully’s hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze.

He hummed deep in his throat with his eyes closed and wistfully said, “Happy Birthday, William.”

Setting both cupcakes on the counter, she raised her hand up to run her fingers through his hair as Mulder laid a soft tender kiss upon her lips. Leaning back, she stared intently into his warm hazel eyes for a moment, watching the affirmation shine through before she spoke.

“I really hope he _is_ happy, every single day,” Scully was barely able to get the last words out before her emotions threatened to take over. Mulder reached up and tucked a long fiery strand of hair behind her ear and palmed her cheek as he brushed a thumb along her eyebrow. “And happy anniversary to us, Mulder,” she murmured, pulling him flush against her with their arms and hands squeezing one another, sealing the day and their future together with a long and zealous kiss.

\----------

_Thirteen years later…_

_(2018)_

Scully rested in a rocking chair that sat in the corner of the living room, quietly creaking and scarcely swaying back and forth, facing out the window of their unremarkable house. Scully’s eyes were shut with her groggy voice barely audible as she whispered, “Jeremiah was a bullfrog...was a good friend of mine…” her singing trailed off, finally losing her battle with exhaustion.

The muffled sounds of classic rock music being played from the other side of the house mingled with Scully’s now heavy breath sounds made Mulder grin joyfully while he surveyed the sight before him.

He leaned along the wall as he held a glass of water, a worn familiar map, and push pins. Mulder silently padded along the wooden floor and over to the corner where his glowing wife sat asleep with their sleeping baby nestled upon her chest. He quietly leaned over the two most important women in his life and stared blissfully, taking in each feature for as long as he dared without risking Scully feeling him lingering over them too intensely. He chuckled to himself as he noticed the cupcake’s small smudge of blue frosting staining the corner of Scully’s mouth. He sat the glass down on the window sill and gently pressed a kiss onto each of their red-haired heads, thinking to himself that his life was pretty damn _remarkable_ and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Over the years, they had both held back discussing William in too much detail on any given day. The subject of his short life spent with Scully as his Mother and his unavoidable adoption was just too damn painful for them—even though it was for his own safety as well as their own—still burned a hole in their resolve just a little more every year. They started the tradition of sharing happy memories and lighting a candle to make a birthday wish just for him that they never once strayed from. Even on their darkest of days, and during two of Williams birthdays that they had spent apart to battle their own demons alone; they lit candles for their son together while they held hands side by side.

Overcoming obstacles and navigating in the dark had become their entire life, and they thrived because of it—in spite of it. Memories of the long journey to get to this very moment in their lives, had finally brought him comfort in knowing that surviving all of the dangerous hardships were honestly worth it all. He would take every sanction, face every monster, endure every ass kicking and emotional tirade that he’s ever had all over again, just to get to bask in this joyous moment with his family.

Yes, Fox Mulder was absolutely irrevocably happy. He almost couldn’t damn well believe it, and he believed in hell of a lot.

Years ago, he and Scully had sat on his old couch with beers in hand one night and discussed how all paths led them to that very moment together. He now only realized how much that rang true. How much they made it their _truth_.

Ironic how he use to believe that the truth was out there, and maybe it was. Yet, _his_ truest truths in life, the ones that meant the most, were currently in this house and rocking along in the moonlit night. Turns out, that this was the real truth they both had been searching for in the end; family.

Mulder turned toward the wall to search for the perfect spot when his eyes caught on the framed aging polaroid of him and Scully on the day they exchanged their vows fourteen years ago. It was a perfect photo of them that Maggie had insisted they frame after Scully called her later that very same night from a burner phone to tell her what they’d done.

Mulder leaned in a little more and reexamined everything about them caught up in the moment. They’d faced one another, heads close together while wrapped up tightly and smiling brightly at each other. Mulder had been brushing wayward strands of auburn hair away from her face as her hands slid slowly up his chest. Her gaze was locked onto his own while her palms rested along the sides of his neck as they shared a beaming smile, their love and commitment practically radiating from the glossy paper. The lady who took the photo was right. Their love really does shine like the sun.

Smirking to himself as he straightened the frame, he realized that some may call the union that took place between them a wedding—the day they became one, but it was so much more than that to them. They were basically living as a married couple for many years before that day, so as the two of them listened to the couple in Florida reciting their vows, they had made their own commitment to one another the Mulder and Scully way.

And there they were, perfect opposites only perfect for each other.

Right then, he decided that he’d found the only place to display their past as they looked forward to the future. The perfect place also served to cover a stray bullet hole from the Russian home invasion that he must’ve missed during the week he had to play Mr. Fix-it after returning from that long gruelling visit to Ikea with Scully. With a shake of his head, he started to hang that old used and abused map on the wall.

A strong yet gentle hand touched his shoulder and a deepening voice followed. “I’m done putting the last of my stuff away in my room. Need some help?”

Turning to meet him at eye level, Mulder gave a grateful grin to William as he returned the touch to the young man’s shoulder. “Not for me to deny you a thing on your birthday,” Mulder joked, leaning back to let his son take over the task.

He watched on as the long and slender fingers of the boy that he and Scully had marked that map up for, moved it to its final destination while he felt his chest swell with pride.

As Mulder stepped forward and ran his fingers along the vast amount of small ink marked circles and stars that spanned across 41 of the 50 states, he smiled with the recollection of their long and crazy journey.

And no, he realized, he wouldn’t change a day.

Mulder turned and looked from his sleeping wife cradling his tiny peaceful baby Margaret, who looked so much like William at that age that it was slightly spooky. Mulder felt his heart skip a beat at the realization of his family coming full circle. He looked back over to meet the eyes of his resilient son who wore that same lopsided grin he did and noted, “all roads do lead to an end, after all. Only, our rocky and curvy road finally led us to one of those that you think you’ll never find...a happy one.”

\----------

 

**This last part set in 2018 I had the intention of it lining up with my other post MSIV fic that would’ve taken place months before this last part. Sort of a continuance with a bit of difference in the details. If you’re interested in reading about that and what happened before William/Jackson moved in and baby Margaret was born, then you can read about that** [HERE](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15054854)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading all the way through. There were quite a few references and inside jokes from throughout the series tossed in the chapters so I hope you caught on to them and found them as cute as I did. 
> 
> I felt like if not Scully, Mulder would’ve wanted to honor Margaret Scully with the baby’s name. And the fact that they had made a map of their life on the run, was something I could totally picture them doing back in the day. And Mulder would’ve saved it like everything else.
> 
> As always I love the feedback!

**Author's Note:**

> A special thank you to Jeri for being my beta on this one! Seriously this would’ve sucked if it weren’t for you ;) muah! 
> 
>  
> 
> There’s more to come so I hope you like it so far.


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